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Business and Economic Research
ISSN 2162-4860
2015, Vol. 5, No. 2
www.macrothink.org/ber 315
The Importance of Soft Skill Development for
Veterinary Technology Graduates and Veterinary
Businesses
Danny Walker, DVM (Corresponding author)
Assistant Professor of Animal Science
Agriculture, Geosciences and Natural Resources, University of Tennessee-Martin
Brehm Hall 143, Martin, TN 38238, United States
Tel: 731-881-7328 E-mail: [email protected]
Jason Roberts, DVM
Associate Professor of Animal Science
Agriculture, Geosciences and Natural Resources, University of Tennessee-Martin
Brehm Hall 253, Martin, TN 38238, United States
Tel: 731-881-7952 E-mail: [email protected]
Joey Mehlhorn, Ph.D.
Professor of Agribusiness
Agriculture, Geosciences and Natural Resources, University of Tennessee-Martin
Brehm Hall 254 Martin, TN 38238, United States
Tel: 731-881-7275 E-mail: [email protected]
Received: September 20, 2015 Accepted: October 28, 2015
doi:10.5296/ber.v5i2.8328 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.5296/ber.v5i2.8328
Abstract
Freshman veterinary technology students and practicing veterinarians were both surveyed to
determine their perceptions of the importance of skills needed to be successful in a veterinary
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technology career. Questions focused on distinguishing between soft business skills and
technical skills. Findings indicated that practicing veterinarians prized teamwork skills as the
overall most important trait in a potential employee. Students rated the ability to work in a
group as important, but not as high as management skills. Students did recognize the
importance of soft skills such as communication and conflict resolution. These findings
confirmed students have mixed perspectives on the importance of technical versus soft skills
in the veterinary technology industry. Students indicate that they understand the importance
of business related skills in the profession. It is important that educators work to develop
graduates who add soft skills to the traditional technical skills they receive in their program.
Industry professionals value soft skills and in a competitive environment for employees, it
will be important to prepare students to become industry ready graduates.
Keywords: Veterinary technology education, Soft Skills, Career readiness
1. Introduction
Today there is a renewed focus on developing industry ready graduates with the skill set
required to be successful. Skills such as ability to function in a team environment, leadership,
communication, work ethic and critical thinking are sought by employers (Engelkemeyer,
2012). The field of veterinary technology has growth potential and these graduates will need
to satisfy the core needs of the industry. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics
Occupational Handbook the profession is projected to grow by 30 percent from 2012 to 2022,
as more veterinarians require advanced technology to treat animals (Bureau of Labor
Statistics, 2015). It will be essential that the veterinary technologist entering the workforce
have the necessary skill set to be successful. In the past, a dichotomy often existed between
students matriculating at traditional universities versus vocational colleges. Today, the lines
between students being college ready and career ready are blurred. Today’s successful
students in any career need to be well prepared academically in particular the STEM (Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Math) disciplines (Jackson, 2013). There is a growing shift in
the labor force to include more jobs in the service related industries and an increased need for
more people who can connect knowledge to problem solving skills (Hilton, 2008).
As tuition costs rise in the U.S., many students and parents are asking if higher education is
worth the expense. Agriculture related programs are not immune to these types of questions
and must defend the importance of enrolling in a veterinary technology undergraduate
program. Most faculty and university recruiters will state that a university degree is valuable
not only from a monetary point of view, but also from a personal development standpoint.
Much of the advantages of higher education come from the general education (liberal arts)
courses required for a degree. Studies have shown that employers are seeking employees that
have critical and analytical reasoning, ethical decision-making, complex problem solving,
and oral and written communication skills. Many of these skills are embedded in general
education courses (Kliegl and Weaver, 2012). General education courses are assumed to help
students build a foundation of knowledge needed to become effective employees. This
foundation of knowledge is also important to the educational development required by
students to understand the discipline specific knowledge of their chosen career (Laird and
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Garver, 2010). For example, a veterinary technology student may apply skills learned from a
basic communications course to become proficient in obtaining animal medical history as
taught in an upper division veterinary technology course.
Today many students enter the university with a clear career goal. For example, a student will
cite the reason they chose the university is to be an accountant, engineer, or veterinarian.
There are many factors affecting student’s career choices including background, monetary
reasons and personal interests. The student’s career goal is a very effective academic
motivator, but students may become disenfranchised with college when they learn they are
required to complete general education courses in areas such as fine arts, history, and the
sciences. As an educator, it is important to convey the value of the general education courses
to the student’s career goals. It is also essential to have effective career advising for entering
students and to convey the interrelated nature of the overall education experience, not just the
singular focus of a specific degree program. This information can be presented to students
through freshman welcome week activities and introduction to college courses.
It is important for students who wish to pursue technical degree programs such as veterinary
health technology plan early in their academic career for success. Since the degree is highly
technical in nature, successful students must adapt to learning skills through experience.
However, there is still a need for traditional academic courses such as math, science, and
communication. Programs typically utilize a combination of didactic lectures to teach basic
fundamental concepts and knowledge and then provide additional courses with an
experiential component to teach technique. This combination is crucial in programs such as
veterinary technology where students are required to possess a solid knowledge base in
conjunction with a technical skill set.
1.1 Soft Skills and Hard Skills
Hard science skills tend to involve knowledge attainment with a quantitative focus. It is also
typically teacher led where students are not actively engaged in the learning process
(Robinson, 2009). Veterinary technology programs like most agriculture curriculums are a
science based curriculum. The need for hard science skills cannot be underestimated by
students or over emphasized by industry leaders. However, soft skills are also gaining in
importance.
The development of soft skills is becoming increasingly more valuable among universities.
Research has shown that the development of soft skills is of importance to the business
profession (Leckey and McGuigan, 1997; Mitchell, et. al. 2010; Orr, et. al, 2011; Robinson,
2009). Soft skills can imply different things to different people, depending on the industry,
specific field or context in which they are applied. Typically, the term soft skill will refer to
the intangible skills that people possess outside of the technical skills. For example, the
proper method for giving a dog an injection would be considered to be a technical skill while
being able to speak with the dog’s owner and comfort them through the process would be a
soft skill. Maxine Kamin (2013) defines soft skills as covering a wide variety of areas such as
interpersonal skills, communication (both speaking and listening), teamwork skills, and the
ability to understand circumstances. These are all relevant skills that future veterinary
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technologists need in order to be successful in their career. The veterinary technology
profession is very rigid with respect to developing technical skills as noted by the
requirement to pass a professional licensing examination. While technical skills are easy to
identify and teach, soft skills may be more elusive to develop or refine.
1.1.2 Veterinary Health Technology Background
The creation of the Veterinary Health Technology program at the University of Tennessee at
Martin has been a success in both outreach and student enrollment. Some growing pains have
been experienced that have strained resources. This has lead to a need for more long term
planning by the department. It is possible to create new programs that reach a diverse
audience while enhancing existing programs. In 2013, UT Martin developed a new program
in veterinary health technology to meet industry demand and provide an alternative pathway
for students interested in animal science careers. The success of the new program required
administrative, faculty, and industry support. The program seeks to develop well-rounded
graduates who understand technical and business skills. Business skills are becoming more
vital as the cost of providing animal healthcare increases. Business skills are also essential for
students who choose to work in fields tangential to veterinary medicine such as
pharmaceutical sales or the pet care product industry.
2. Materials and Methods
This study attempts to assess perceptions of freshman students entering a four-year licensed
veterinary technology program of qualities needed for success versus the characteristics
desired by practicing veterinarians. The study also attempts to determine factors that
influence student selection of a college major and career. These findings will help to better
target recruitment efforts in the future to attract students. It will also aid universities and
departments in better understanding that some students may not realize the magnitude of
possessing certain skills that are essential to career success. It is also important that business
training and soft skill development are increasingly integrated into student educational and
training programs, in order to produce successful graduates that are well prepared and
industry ready.
2.1 Student Perspective
An assessment was given to freshman students enrolled in a college orientation class at the
beginning of the fall semester. All students who participated selected veterinary health
technology as their expected major. Students (n=58) enrolled in freshman general studies
courses in the college of agriculture at the University of Tennessee at Martin were surveyed
regarding their perceptions of general education courses and skills needed to be successful in
their selected career choice. A 30-question survey was completed the first week of class
during the fall 2014 and 2015 semesters. Student participants were selected from a similar
demographic background. Question areas included demographic information, course specific
information, career understanding, and expected outcomes from general education courses
and discipline specific coursework. Soft skill traits were identified with respect to traits and
business related skills needed to be successful in the profession.
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2.1.1 Practitioner Perspective
An assessment was given to practicing veterinarians in the state of Tennessee during the
spring of 2015. The assessment focused on identifying the qualities that they considered to be
essential for a veterinary technician. Veterinary responses (n=123) to the questionnaire to
assess which traits were the most important in the hiring of a veterinary health technologist
were analyzed. Practitioners were asked to rate the traits as most important, important and
least important. The three main traits were personality traits, professional traits, and technical
skills. Under the traits, three criteria were considered for each main trait. Personality traits
included friendliness, respectfulness, and kindness. The other main category of skills assessed
was technical skills including laboratory skills, medication administration, and surgical
assistance. Soft skills assessed under professional traits were communication, client education,
and teamwork.
3. Results
All data was analyzed to determine descriptive statistics for students and practitioners. It was
evident from the data that students and practicing veterinarians had differing responses and
views on traits and skills essential for success.
3.1 Student Findings
Figure 1 shows results from the question: What factor most helped you in selecting your
college major. Students were instructed to check only one response. As with many career
decisions of students from the millennial generation (Taylor, 2013; White, 2015, and Miller,
2015), who are seeking purposeful labor, they largely selected personally rewarding as one of
the top influences in choosing their major and career. Students tend to search for a major that
will lead to a career that is meaningful to them. Income potential was the least important
influence on their career choice selected by students. This reinforces the finding that financial
motivation is not the main focus of career choice. Family was another strong factor for many
students, which was not unexpected. This is expected since family tends to have a strong
influence on students.
Figure 1. Factors Influencing Student Major Choice
There are some implications that universities should consider as a result. How can we as
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faculty better connect with parents during the recruitment process? This may be particularly
important when dealing with first generation college students.
Table 1. Participation in FFA and 4-H Impact on Career Choice
Participate Yes No Did it influence your career Positive
Impact (%)
FFA 18 40 16 88.88
4-H 21 37 12 57.14
Table 1 revealed an evolving trend the authors are observing at their university regarding
increased number of “non-traditional agriculture students” entering the program. The authors
use FFA and 4-H participation as a proxy of students who are coming from an agriculture
background. It is interesting that the majority of those individuals who participated in FFA in
high school or 4-H when younger indicated the programs had a positive impact on their
career choice. This has important consequences for departments and universities as they
recruit students in the future. Targeting agriculture youth programs is still a good place for
recruiting efforts. National groups such as FFA and 4-H are providing more entrepreneurial
and business training opportunities among their members. These programs can provide fertile
ground for students who possess agricultural science skills and business skills. Today,
students may be focusing on their career goals at an earlier age as college and career
information is more easily accessible on the Internet. Today, students are also faced with
many options for an academic major. The New York Times reported in 2010 that there were
approximately 1,500 academic departments and degree programs in the U.S. (Simon, 2012).
It may be reasonable for universities to begin recruiting efforts to students in elementary
school and junior high while they are forming their career opinions.
Table 2. Soft and Business Skill Perceptions of Veterinary Technology Students*
Course or Concept 5 4 3 2 1 AVG
English 6 6 15 13 18 2.47
Agribusiness 6 19 19 10 4 3.22
Communication 15 22 15 3 3 3.74
Time Management 12 10 24 9 3 3.33
Computer skills 28 19 9 1 1 4.24
Group skills 28 20 6 3 1 4.22
Management skills 46 7 4 0 1 4.67
Finance 11 20 20 4 3 3.55
Accounting 34 11 11 0 2 4.29
HR skills 16 18 17 5 2 3.71
Conflict resolution skills 14 13 22 6 3 3.50
* (Very Important = 5, Important = 4, Neutral = 3, Unimportant =2, Not necessary = 1)
Table 2 results were mixed with management skills rating as the most important perceived
business skill among students. This is promising that students understand the fundamental
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importance of management as a skill needed to be effective in their career. Accounting rated
high as well at 4.29, indicating that students understand the importance of accounting to any
business. This would not be surprising if the student pool was selected from a traditional
business degree program. However, these students are enrolled in a science focused career
path. The findings indicate that faculty should seek methods to incorporate business
management into traditional veterinary technology courses when applicable. Soft skill
communication rated highly among students. The authors expected the skills of time
management, conflict resolution, and human resource skills to have been higher. Since most
veterinary clinics work in a group setting (multiple staff and clientele) the students need to
understand the importance of learning group dynamic skills early in their career. The students
recognized the importance of group skills, with a high rating of 4.22. As with most career
fields, conflict resolution is an essential skill when working with other people. This is
imperative for people who will be working with the public and in potentially stressful or
challenging environment such as a veterinary hospital.
Table 3. Technical Skill Perceptions of Veterinary Technology Students*
Course or Concept 5 4 3 2 1 AVG
Biology 19 10 14 11 4 3.5
Chemistry 17 7 14 13 7 3.24
Math 8 11 19 11 9 2.97
Statistics 1 13 15 16 13 2.53
Animal Science 18 3 21 10 6 3.29
Plant Science 15 17 19 5 2 3.66
Physics 4 18 20 5 11 2.98
Soil Science 30 10 13 4 1 4.10
* (Very Important = 5, Important = 4, Neutral = 3, Unimportant =2, Not necessary = 1)
Table 3 results were surprising to the authors with soil science receiving the highest rating for
importance among students. The expectation was that animal science, chemistry, and biology
would have been perceived as the most important technical courses for the students. These
findings show that students see the importance of technical training, but it is unclear if the
students fully comprehend how the sciences relate to the required courses in the veterinary
technology curriculum. Basic courses in the area of math are utilized in many upper division
courses in the curriculum. This reinforces the notion that students can view knowledge
acquisition in a vacuum while not understanding the full application of basic science skills.
Biology and chemistry are similar in that basic science concepts are covered in these courses,
but the application of the concept may not be apparent until students take upper division
courses. In the future, it would be prudent to add veterinary technology specific courses to the
list and compare student perceptions of those courses versus traditional science courses.
3.1.1 Practitioner Findings
Practitioners were asked to rate the traits as most important, important and least important.
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The three main traits were personality traits, professional traits, and technical skills.
Personality traits included friendly, respectful, and kind. Results are summarized in Figure 2
below.
Figure 2. Practitioner Perceptions of Personality Traits
Surveyed veterinarians selected kindness as the most important personality trait overall.
However, respectful was selected by 54 veterinarians surveyed. The data may be slightly
misleading if the perspective is that an ideal employee would possess all three characteristics.
Another possible issue with the question might be that the veterinarians may have not been
clear whether it was in respect to interactions with clients or co-workers. It would be
expected that most practicing veterinarians would desire all three traits to improve customer
service with clients. The most interesting finding from the personality question is that
Friendly was ranked as the highest number to be least important. The authors feel that this
indicates that the surveyed veterinarians answered the question from the perspective of the
employees working together versus working with clients.
Veterinarians were also asked about technical skills. Technical skills were classified as
laboratory skills, medication administration, and surgery. These questions would be directly
related to the employee’s skill in performing the job. These skills are easier to assess than soft
skills since effectiveness of these skills may be more standardized, or directly demonstrated
through competent execution of tasks. Findings are summarized in Figure 3 below.
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Figure 3. Practitioner Perceptions of Technical Skills
Veterinarians rated laboratory skill as the most important technical trait. This finding was
consistent with the expectations of the authors. Laboratory work is a large part of the daily
tasks of a veterinary technician. These skills also need to be performed with accuracy and
efficiency. Surgery assisting skills were rated as the least important trait, probably because
these skills are always used under the direct supervision by a veterinarian and many
veterinarians tend to have their own unique preferences in relation to surgery practices and
routines. A very interesting finding is that 101 surveyed veterinarians stated that medication
administration is either most important or important. This indicates that a potential veterinary
technician should focus on being efficient in medication administration. Faculty who teach in
veterinary technology programs should be aware that this skill is highly prized by practicing
veterinarians when selecting technicians. It should also be conveyed to students the
importance of being able to complete basic math skills to dose and medicate patients properly,
as the students rated the importance of math skills fairly low in this study.
Veterinarians were also asked about professional skills. Professional skills were classified as
communication, client education, and ability to work in a team. These are soft skills that are
needed by employees as they work in a customer service driven industry like veterinary
medicine. These questions would be directly related to the employee’s ability to interact with
clients and work effectively in a multiple staff and diverse environment. These skills are
directly observable by the veterinarian, but they are still subjective to some degree. Findings
are summarized in Figure 4 below.
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Figure 4. Practitioner Perceptions of Professional Skills
Teamwork ranked the highest under professional skills with 74 of the 123 veterinarians
ranking it as most important. Results indicate that teamwork was the overall highest ranked
trait among all three chategories. This finding has implications for faculty who educate and
train future veterinary technologists. It is important that students learn to work effectively in a
team environment. Development of teamwork as a skill may be overlooked in educational
systems where grades tend to be focused soley on individual effort and testing. Many
students tend to neglect the need for learning interpersonal skills such as teamwork. This is
often identified as an isue when employees struggle with workplace conflict resolution with
fellow employees. Client education tended to be lowest ranked trait in importance by
veterinarians. This is possibly due to the fact that many veterinarians tend to consult directly
with the client, which would reduce the need for tecnicians to routinely demonstarte
proficiency of this skill. Overall, teamwork and communication both rated highly with
respect to being important. These soft skills are areas that faculty can focus on in training
future technologists.
4. Conclusions and Implications
Students ranked group skills highly (4.22/5.0) and the practicing veterinarians ranked it as
most important. This is a significant finding in that students understand the value of learning
to work in a team environment. Faculty should strive to develop teamwork and refine group
skills among students. Currently, many programs focus heavily on hard technical skills. This
is not a deficiency as students are expected to pass a board certification examination that will
focus primarily on technical skills. The solution may be that faculty should no longer view
the education process as dichotomous between development of technical and soft skills.
Instead, focusing on producing well-rounded graduates with a universal set of technical,
business and soft skills applicable to their field and better meet the needs of the specific
industry.
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These findings will allow faculty to better understand the perceptions of the students entering
veterinary technology programs and be better equipped to articulate the importance of soft
skills along with discipline specific skills. Faculty can help reinforce the importance of
business and soft skills in the veterinary technology profession by including these skill
activities in their discipline specific courses. By understanding student perceptions, faculty
will be better prepared for recruiting students into the discipline by targeting students who
display aptitude for the needed soft skills in the industry. And finally, this study reminds
faculty of the importance of relating to industry professionals when it comes to curriculum
development. Industry advisory members can also help ensure the curriculum of educational
institutions is current and fulfills the requirements the target industry or field, which has a
vested interest in production of highly qualified and well-trained candidates.
Acknowledgement
The authors would like to thank the Tennessee Veterinary Medical Association for their
valuable assistance with this project and the two anonymous reviewers for their insightful
comments that have made this a better paper.
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